In China there is a train with a speed of 620 kilometers per hour |
China announced a prototype of a new high-speed magnetic train that could reach speeds of 620 kilometers per hour.
The train operates under the influence of a superconducting force at high temperatures, giving the impression that the train is swimming along the way.
Superconductivity occurs when resistance tends to zero when cooled to very low temperatures.
The prototype is 21 meters long and was delivered to the media in Chengdu, Sichuan Province. Ultimately, developers hope to increase its speed to 800 kilometers per hour.
The university's researchers also built a 165-meter track to show the train's shape during the transit, according to the official Xinhua news agency.
Professor He Chuan, vice president of Southwestern Jiaotong University, told reporters that the train could be put into operation within three to ten years.
"Sichuan has abundant rare earth resources, which is very useful in establishing permanent magnetic paths and thus facilitating the faster development of experiments," he added.
China has the largest high-speed rail network in the world, with a length of more than 37,000 km, as well as the fastest commercial express train called Shanghai Maglev.
The country's high-speed maglev train began operating in 2003 with a top speed of 431 kilometers per hour, linking Shanghai Pudong Airport with Longyang East Road of Shanghai.
China is committed to continuing to improve its infrastructure ahead of the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics.
Around the same time last year, China opened a 174-kilometer high-speed line from Beijing to Zhangjiakou, site of the 2022 Winter Olympics, and cut travel time between the two cities by 3 hours. In 47 minutes.
Earlier this month, the country introduced fast trains designed to withstand freezing temperatures.
The CR400AF-G can travel at a speed of 350 kilometers per hour in cold weather and -40 ° C.